Pythagoras
of Samos, was an Ionian Greek philosopher, mathematician and founder of the
cult Pythagoreanism (570-485 BC).
Most of the
information about Pythagoreanism was written centuries after he lived so very
little is known about his life. He was
born on the island of Samos and traveled to the rest of Greece, Egypt, and
India. Around 530 BC he moved to Croton in Magna Grecia and established a
school there and in 520 BC he returned to Samos,
We do not
know about the beliefs of the religious mathematical cult called the
Pythagoreans and we do know that Pythagoreans made great advances in mathematics
When the
cult started it was very secretive.
After Pythagoras died many secrets started to be revealed.
The
Pythagoreans were a sect whose beliefs were based on the power of numbers:
honesty, living a simple life, and generally trying to show kindness to people
and animals.
To Pythagoreans
10 was the supreme power. 10 can be made
by adding the first four numbers 1, 2, 3, and 4.
These numbers form a perfect equilateral triangle the Tetractys.
Rations of numbers from the Tetractys
are important in musical scales, which the Pythagoreans also thought had mystical
powers. The Pythagoreans prayed to the Tetractys
and swore oaths of faith to it
Pythagoreans believed that everything
could be reduced to numbers.
Modern physicists seeking the ”theory
of everything” or the “Grand Unification“ are Pythagoreans who believe that the
universe can be understood by mathematical equations.
Philolaus
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